My love for Bandol rose has make me a tad intolerant of rosé made of Pinot Noir with the notable exception of one from Oregon that retails for $90. Amazing as it is, I cannot afford to drink it. ( If you can and want to know the secret, please drop me a line. I am a bit of a tease today.)

So I opened the bag that contained my Bay Grape wine club selections for August and low and behold, a rosé from Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon made of Pinot Noir with glowing words to boot on the info sheet. Words, words, words.

Skepticism crept in. When I saw that the vintage was 2014, I was wondering about this holdover from last year when the current release is from the 2015 vintage.

Then I tasted it, and I liked it – dare, I say, even loved it! I would have it again and again. The wine was herbaceous, floral and deliciously mineral driven with touches of wild raspberry and cherry fruit. The savory character made it mouth-wateringly refreshing. I can’t wait to have another bottle, if and when, Indian Summer arrives in San Francisco. Time in the bottle has been good to it. (I recall Kermit Lynch remarking about how well Bandol rosé can withstand aging; based on his recommendation, last year I tucked away a 2014 Terrebrune rosé!)

Thanks for sharing! I’m heading up to Willamette in a couple of weeks and I’ll have to check these guys out. Also enjoying your previous posts and the breadth and depth of your wine exploration. We live in Napa Valley and always trying to expand our horizons. Check out our wine country blog at http://www.topochinesvino.com. Follow us if you like what you see.